An attempt on Knock Murton

Sadly rather a dismal birthday walk for Lois with Mike and Janet Hornby and their friend John.

Route: leaving the car in the empty Felldyke car park and walking towards the reservoir Cogra Moss but turning right before a gate to take a faint path outside the plantation round the hill. After crossing a number of precarious stiles, no very accessible route up the ridge appeared and in the face of increasingly heavy rain, withdrawing. Instead heading along the track to Cogra Moss and to the end where, attacked by midges, giving up (the return path round the Moss being closed because of fallen trees).

Conditions: initially low cloud and drizzly rain becoming heavier. No visibility.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn for Cumbrian Legendary Ales American Pale Ale and Loweswater Gold and lunch.

14km circuit of Crummock Water

A surprisingly tough though flat run round the lake.

Route: leaving the car at the car park and running west, anti-clockwise on the lake shore path, initially mud and gravel but becoming intermittently stoney and marshy heading further south, with a particularly marshy section around 4-5km. Then taking the straight farm track towards the Buttermere pubs and turning left to run beside a stream back towards the lake. Crossing a footbridge and walking through woods before reaching a grassy lakeshore. Crossing the road and ascending underneath Rannerdale Knotts, descending to the car park. Then heading away from the lake round the hill to cross a stream higher up on a foot bridge and run down hill on a wide grassy track. Crossing the wood to reach the lakeshore path to the boathouse and thence back to the car park. Afterwards, swimming in the lake.

Conditions: cloudy with hints of sun and warm.

Pub: The Wheatsheaf, Lorton for Ringwood True Glory

Braithwaite to Buttermere via Grisedale Pike

A linear walk planned at the last minute and using the Honister Rambler bus service at both ends.

Route: having been dropped in Braithwaite by the 12:44 (in Lorton) Honister Rambler bus at Braithwaite and having had a pint outside the Coledale Inn, heading now in rather a rush up the ridge to Grisedale Pike and into cloud at Coledale Hause. With little visibility, following the clear path up to the col between Grasmoor and Crag Hill and straight on (ignoring Wandope) to cross Whiteless Edge to Whiteless Pike and down at a jog to catch a busy 16:24 bus back to Lorton.

Conditions: some initial sun giving way to low cloud on Coledale Hause and higher with some hints of rain.

Pub: before the walk, the Coledale Inn, Braithwaite for Corby Blonde. Later the Castle Bar, Cockermouth for Ilkley Mary Jane and Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold.

Round trip by bike to the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite

A quick dash after Lois' return from a pre-new-job business meeting.

Route: from the cottage, heading north on the B5292 before turning right on a c-road past Arnaside Farm to join Hundith Hill Road and along this east past Wythop Mill with views of the head of Bassenthwaite Lake to descend to the pub. After a pint in the garden, crossing the A66 to take the c-road parallel to it through Embleton then heading south west to rejoin Hundith Hill Road. After a quick half in the Hundith Hill Hotel, back with fine views south to the Buttermere hills.

Conditions: cloudy with some sun and warm.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite for Coniston Brewery, Bluebird. The Hundith Hill Hotel for a half of Jennings Bitter.

Ladyside Pike

A late afternoon 11km walk having been released from waiting for the last made.com order for the Lorton cottage.

Route: from the Lorton cottage up the Boonbeck road to turn right on the fell road towards High Swinside Farm. Just at the start of the right to roam land, climbing a gate to walk uphill parallel to a wall to the corner of the field. Here crossing an implicit stile in the wall and continuing beside it to reach the ridge and up this with a fence and collapsed wall to the right to gain altitude eventually reaching Ladyside Pike. Low cloud obscuring the onward route, deciding to change plans (from going on to Hopegill Head, Whiteside and Dodd) and descending instead on a faint path near Hope Gill into the valley (the path itself being narrow and partly flood damaged causing TT some vertigo issues). Then returning to Lorton via the footpath from High Swinside Farm to Scales.

Conditions: after a morning of prolonged thunderstorms, initially hot but giving way to cloud, wind and a threat of rain.

Pub? no, in order to keep the cats company, but bottled beer at the cottage.

Cycle trip from Lorton to Ennerdale Bridge and back

A 45km circuit on a day of blistering heat.

Route: from the cottage crossing Lorton Low Bridge and heading north, west and then south round Fellbarrow but turning right to Kirkby Brow to avoid an ascent to Mosser. Through Pardshaw and Mockerkin, briefly joining the A5086 before exiting for Lamplugh. Thence joining the route of the Sustrans 71 but continuing further south to descend steeply to Croasdale Bridge. Then flatter to Ennerdale Bridge for a pint. Afterwards, heading north, climbing to Kirkland the descending for a brief spell on the A5086 before turning right to Lamplugh. Then joining the route of the Sustrans 71 to climb and then descend to the Kirkstile Inn at Loweswater. After a further pint, on via the minor Thackthwaite route back to Lorton.

Conditions: the hottest day of the year so far.

Pubs: the Fox and Hounds, Ennerdale Bridge for Ennerdale Pale. The Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater for Cumbrian Legendary Ales American Pale Ale and Esthwaite Bitter.

Kirk Fell to Lord's Seat

An afternoon stroll made up as we went along.

Route: from the cottage taking the steep cyclists route to the start of Whinlatter and immediately entering a field below High How. Ignoring its summit to leave the field in the corner and then contour north west through bracken but on a clear path. After descending slightly, on reaching a grassy farm track, heading right and uphill sticking with the most promising tractor track to nearly the top and then pathless to the summit of Kirk Fell. Taking an obvious logical line, though pathless to cross a subsidiary summit to reach Graystones. After some deliberation heading north east in time on a very clear path in serach of a route down from Widow Hause but failing to spot any plausible route through mature conifer forest. Instead continuing on a clear, sometimes damp path to Broom Fell and then Lord's Seat. After heated debate, picking the most likely path to descend into the valley, grazing old forestry and picking a straight path with new trees encroaching from the right, this becoming very boggy with chest high bracken and requiring fording a number of stream before picking up a forestry track to Darling How. Here taking a signposted path to Scout Force which again involved head high bracken, nettles etc. Then back down Whinlatter, home.

Conditions: cloudy to start but increasingly sunny.

Pub? no, but bottled beer in the sun at the cottage.

Balcony path under Carling Knott and Burnbank Fell

A post-prandial 9km walk with Chris and Kay.

Route: leaving the car at Maggie’s Bridge car park and heading uphill past meadows and High Nook Farm to cross the beck on a small footbridge. There picking up a gently rising wide balcony path above Holme Wood eventually descending onto moorland at the very edge of the Lake District. Descending through fields to Jenkinson Place and Hudson Place and then back along the lake shore in trees.

Conditions: cloudy but with improving views and dry.

Pub? back to the cottage for tea.

Sale Fell

A short walk on a wet morning with Chris Hoggarth.

Route: leaving the car on the road near St Margaret’s Church, Wythop, and taking a diagonal grassy path south west up and across the hillside to reach the west end of the ridge at a wall. Then turning east to walk up the ridge to the summit. Descending further west under Lothwaite to enter a forest and follow a gravel road zig-zagging down hill. Mistakenly, ignoring a final necessary right turn and heading on a little used track/path uphill to exit the forest onto bare hillside and taking a balcony path back to near the start of the outward route.

Conditions: at times high winds, low cloud and intermittent rain.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn (picking up Kay) for Cumbrian Legendary Ales American Pale Ale and Loweswater Gold and lunch.